Turnips... don't turn up your nose

The humble turnip has gained some ground in the past few years thanks to the movement for local, seasonal eating. And thank heavens because people have been missing out on this flavorful little root crop with delicious greens (make a mental note, turnip greens sauteed with garlic and a squeeze of lemon were made to be on pizza. I'm just saying). Turnips love being slowly simmered in a low oven alongside a pot roast. Just think of a bed of turnips, carrots, onions and mushrooms bathed in those meaty, winey, garlicky juices. Getting hungry? How about peeling and boiling some turnips with a batch of potatoes and then mashing in some butter, cream, salt and pepper, a couple of egg yolks and some shaved parmesan. Typically, when I think about how to include turnips in a meal I lean on rich, creamy, buttery ingredients but with their rich, earthy flavor turnips can also hold their own against dark, roasted spices. My Moroccan spice roasted vegetables became pretty popular at Innisfree during my tenure. You can make them as mild or vibrant as you like depending on how much red pepper you use. Peel and cut your turnips and any other root vegetable you like into very large chunks. I have used carrots, golden potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, beets... anything you have is fine. Make a spice blend of two tbs. of cocoa powder (the darker the better), two tbs. cumin seeds, two table spoons of coriander seed, one tbs. cinnamon, one tbs. crushed red pepper flakes, a shake of cayenne pepper to taste. Toast the spices in a hot, dry skillet until the just begin to smoke and become fragrant. Pre-heat the oven to about 480 and arrange the vegetables in a single layer on a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil and toss with the toasted spices and a good shake of salt and pepper and a small handful of brown sugar. Bake for about thirty-five to forty minutes until the vegetables are deeply caramelized and just tender. This stuff is just killer. I can't count the times I've been asked for the recipe or to make up a batch for a holiday potluck. You will not be disappointed and I think the turnip is looking a little less humble.